New England-based Northern Tablelands Local Land Services has received $190,000 in Australian Government funding for a project supporting local farmers to develop innovative land management methods and improve drought resilience.

The project is one of 12 to share in $5 million under the NRM Drought Resilience Program – Landscapes.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the program was part of the Government’s Drought Response, Resilience and Preparedness Plan.

“I am proud to be working with Barnaby to be delivering the support farmers and communities need to be sustainable and productive,” Minister Littleproud said.

Mr Joyce welcomed the Federal Government funding for Northern Tablelands Local Land Services saying it will result in positive outcomes for farmers, the local communities and the lands and waters that sustain our region’s farming.

“This project will provide landholders with improved skills and knowledge to improve management of groundcover, water and soil, to support drought resilience here in the New England,” he said.

Project activities will include farm dam demonstrations that showcase best practices of water quality and quantity management, information packages, field days with local landholders to champion the projects and peer-to-peer learning to build capacity of local farmers to manage groundcover levels, minimising erosion and maximising pasture recovery.
The project will also support the establishment of a network of moisture probes and weather stations on a minimum of 20 properties to provide real time data that landholders can use to adjust stocking rates, inform future management and maintain groundcover.

“This is very exciting work to be undertaken in the New England to help local producers and landholders with innovative ways to buffer their businesses and properties against future droughts,” Mr Joyce said.

(ENDS)